The leukotrienes constitute a group of locally acting hormones, produced in living systems from arachidonic acid. The major leukotrienes are Leukotriene B.sub.4 (abbreviated at LTB.sub.4), LTC.sub.4, LTD.sub.4 and LTE.sub.4. The biosynthesis of these leukotrienes begins with the action of the enzyme 5-lipoxygenase on arachidonic acid to produce the epoxide known as Leukotriene A.sub.4 (LTA.sub.4), which is converted to the other leukotrienes by subsequent enzymatic steps. Further details of the biosynthesis as well as the metabolism of the leukotrienes are to be found in the book Leukotrienes and Lipoxyzenases, ed. J. Rokach, Elsevier, Amsterdam (1989). The actions of the leukotrienes in living systems and their contribution to various diseases states are also discussed in the book by Rokach.
EP 375,404 (27 June 1990) describes certain naphthalene-containing heterocyclic ethers of structure A which are inhibitors of the enzyme 5-lipoxygenase. EP 375,452 (27 June 1990) describes naphthalene-containing hydrocarbon ethers of structure B which are reported to possess the same activity. Both of these series of compounds differ significantly from the present invention in that they lack the major aryl substituent. ##STR2##